


What Fools

by The_neigh_sayer



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:15:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22454011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_neigh_sayer/pseuds/The_neigh_sayer
Summary: Arthur Morgan finds a woman in need--and more than he bargained for.
Relationships: Arthur Morgan/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	What Fools

Arthur sat on his cot, pulling his boots on. He had to get out of camp; ever since he had found his way back to camp after being taken by the O'Driscolls he'd been taking it easy, Miss Grimshaw getting on his case if he even so much as got out of bed. But he was restless. He had to get out and do something. He stood, slung his satchel over his shoulder, then made his way to his horse. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hosea watching him, but he went on, hoping he wouldn't try to stop him. He saddled his horse, made sure he had plenty of provisions, then put a foot in the stirrup and swung his other leg over, patting his horse on the neck. Just then Hosea appeared next to him. "So, you're feeling better, I take it?"

Arthur eyed him, ready for an argument. "I can't keep sitting around, Hosea. You know me."

Hosea smiled. "I do know you, Arthur. If you think you're ready to get out again, you have my blessing. Just take it easy and be careful." 

"Oh, I'm always careful, Hosea." He said with a twinkle in his eye.

Hosea laughed wryly, patted him on the leg, then waved as Arthur turned and spurred his horse away.

He didn't know where he was going, hadn't really planned anything, he just needed to get AWAY. He was drawn west, of course, but he couldn't go too far west. Strawberry was out, thanks to Micah. So he headed for Big Valley. It was beautiful country up there, a great place to clear the mind and just breathe.

As he passed over the river just above Cumberland Falls the calm stillness of the day was shattered suddenly by gunshots and a woman screaming. Through the trees ahead he saw a stagecoach stopped on the road. He spurred his horse into a gallop, pulling out his lancaster, getting ready for a fight. As he neared he saw some men standing outside the coach, guns pointed at it, shouting at someone inside it. He recognized them right away--goddam O'Driscolls. Without slowing he took every single one of them out in the blink of an eye. He stopped his horse just behind the coach, taking in the scene: three dead O'Driscolls, one dead coach driver, and, from what he could hear, a woman inside the coach, begging for help.

He dismounted and ran around the coach; inside was the woman and a dead man, shot between the eyes. She was quietly crying, her hands on her face. He slowly opened the door and raised his hands. "It's okay, miss. You're going to be okay." She lowered her hands and looked at him, her pale gray eyes rimmed in red. He reached a hand out to her. "Come on, miss. I can give you a ride to town or something. Get you outta here." She looked around, saw the dead bodies on the ground, then looked back at him. She decided he's there to help, not to hurt, and she took his hand and carefully exited the coach. 

He calmly ushered her to his horse and helped her climb up. As he mounted he asked where she was headed. 

She sniffled. "Wallace Station." He pointed his horse in that direction and moved off at a walk. "We were just driving along when suddenly those...goons started shouting and shooting at us. They killed the driver and that poor man I was riding with. They were about to shoot me when you rode up, thank goodness. Thank you so much, sir. You saved my life."

"Not a problem, miss, just in the right place at the right time."

"My name is Helen. What's yours?"

"Arthur."

"Well, thank you again, Arthur. I wish there was some way I could repay you."

"That's quite alright. Like I said, just came along at the right time."

They rode on, the silence broken occasionally by Helen's sniffling. She hugged him tighter and laid her head on his back, and he felt heat rise in his face. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. 'You fool', he thought to himself. 'As if someone like her would have any interest at all in an outlaw like me.'

They arrived at the station and Arthur helped Helen down off his horse. She looked around, noticing no one else was at the station, then looked up at him, wringing her hands. "I hate to ask you this, but, would you mind waiting with me until my train arrives? There's no one here, and I'm a little nervous to be left alone." He shook his head, shrugged, and said, "sure", motioning toward the ticket window. He followed her to the window, hanging back slightly, then sat with her on a bench while they waited for the train. He noticed she never stopped touching him--a hand on his arm when talking to him, a random touch on the shoulder, and now, sitting on this bench, she had her arm entwined with his and she was leaning against him lightly. And he realized he had his hand on top of hers. He pulled it away and cleared his throat, a little embarrassed with how forward they were both being. 

She caught his embarrassment and pulled her arm away. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean anything, I guess I just need a little comforting. I tend to get a little touchy feely when I'm nervous." 

He nodded and smiled. "It's quite alright, miss, I understand." He held his arm up. "You can keep hold of me if you need to." 

She smiled and wrapped her arm around his once more, then laid her head on his shoulder. He smiled a little to himself. 

A few minutes later the train rolled into the station. They both stood up and waited as it slowed to a stop. As he walked her to the steps she reached out and placed a hand on his arm and said, "Thank you again, Arthur. You saved my life. I know you said it was fine, but I must repay you. I mean that. Is there any way I could see you again?"

Arthur shuffled his feet, looking down at the platform. "Well, I'm kind of hard to pin down, miss. It's a little complicated."

She smiled. "Okay. Well, if it's meant to be, we'll run into each other again, hm?" She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. Then she turned, climbed the steps into the traincar, and went inside.

Arthur watched her as she found her seat, then waited as the train left the station. Once it was out of sight he turned and walked back to his horse, mounted, and rode off, his thoughts racing.


End file.
